Roundup: Russian, Syrian leaders slam Western anti-terror policy in recent wave of terrorist attacks

Russian and Syrian leaders have slammed Western anti-terror policies as "double-standard" amid a recent wave of terrorist attacks.H Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov said Russia, apart from having vast experience in anti-terror struggles, has the authority of a state, which "has never used double standards in the sphere of counter-terrorism," Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported Tuesday.

"It is dangerous and counter-productive to divide terrorism into bad guys and those who are so bad," Syromolotov told the daily.

He said the struggle against terrorists should be based on international law and the decisions of the United Nations and its Security Council with consistent implementation of the principles of sovereignty and equality of states without trying -- like some are doing now -- to use certain groups in pursuit of their political and geopolitical purposes.

Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Sunday that the Western powers' handling of terrorism is still marred with "hypocrisy."

"The West deals with terrorism with hypocrisy because it's a terrorism when it hits them but a revolution and democracy and human rights when it hits us," Assad said during a speech, in an apparent response to the recent wave of terrorist attacks that hit some European countries and lately Turkey.

Terrorist attacks in the past month, which included shootings in the Tunisian resort of Sousse, a bombing at a Shiite mosque in Kuwait and an attack on a U.S.-owned factory in France, have killed more than 60 people.

Assad said the change in the Western stances cannot be relied upon as long as they are still dealing with the regional developments and threats with double standards.

"Whoever wants to battle terrorism must adopt policies based on prudence, justice, and the respect of the peoples' will in determining their destination and handling their own issues," Assad said.

Neither Syria nor Russia is included in the "new anti-terror coalition" proposed by U.S. President Barack Obama.

"America will lead a broad coalition to roll back this terrorist threat," Obama declared on the eve of the 13th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks last year.

"Our objective is clear: we will degrade, and ultimately destroy IS through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy," Obama said.

In his ongoing Africa trip, Obama praised Ethiopia for combating the Al-Qaeda linked group Al-Shabab.

"Part of the reasons we've seen this shrinkage of Shebab in East Africa is that we've had our regional teams," Obama said.

However, critics say that Obama's visit to Addis Ababa could add credibility to a government they accuse of suppressing democratic rights -- including the jailing of journalists and critics -- with anti-terror legislation.

Obama addressed those concerns, saying "there is still more work to do."

"There are certain principles we think have to be upheld," Obama added. Endi